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Too often, we look for and ask for big changes through prayer, expecting God to respond when we want. Or, we expect Him, through prayer and at that moment, to fix circumstances or change people when there is trouble.

What one fails to realize is that the circumstances, events and/or people in trouble may have occurred because of how one lives and the choices made, such as greed, power, deceit, immoral behavior, abuse, misuse, neglect, brutality – the list goes on. We are a “want, want, want” society. Me first. How can I beat someone out of something? I am No. 1.

If you stood still long enough, you cannot miss the glory of God’s work around us. God has answered many prayers from the beginning of time, and will through all eternity. He gives us a free will to choose to follow His Word, or to do our own thing. It is those people who fail to appreciate God and His glory, and balk at the mention of His truth, His Word and what it means to trust Him.

God cannot respond to prayer on our time or terms, especially when His Word is not honored, or when one lives against His Word. God loves all of creation, and all of us as His children, but we have a part in this, and that is to believe.

Stop, stand still and be quiet awhile, and ask God to reveal Himself to you. You will assuredly get an answer.

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But this is one thing about the power of prayer that I have never been able to understand. As an example, according to the letter writer, a father or mother who desperately prays for the recovery of a child stricken with a severe illness are judged on "how one lives and the choices made, such as greed, power, deceit, immoral behavior, abuse, misuse, neglect, brutality – the list goes on." If they've not been the most Christian-like (for lack of a better term) people in the world, does that mean their prayers are not answered? The result may be the death of the child - because they were not worthy or devout enough? Pretty harsh.

fedex, I believe you completely misunderstood what the writer was stating. The only requirement for God to hear our prayers is to repent of our sin and seek his attention. If a person is a Christian and they have sin of greed, immoral behavior, deceit, abuse, hate, etc. in their life then I sincerely doubt they will be looking to Christ to heal their child but if they repent and ask for forgiving God will hear their prayer. This is not to say that God will heal their child but He will give them the peace and comfort to get through it. We never understand why children suffer but through faith we must trust that God is in control and that whatever th circumstances, God know why it is happening and through the sickness or death of our loveone, God will be glorified. We may not see it but all things work for the good of Christ. We are not asked to understand, we are asked to have faith to trust.

I am glad ICL answered the question so eloquently. How have you been ICL?, long time since I posted. Prayer is simple and yet complicated. With God there are certain things He is going to do and nothing you can pray will change that. Also there are somethings He will not do and no amount of prayer will change that. However, there are a wife range of things that God says he will do if we pray. How do we know the difference? We don't, so we should pray over everything and then leave everything up to God!

Scoopdedoop64, it's good to hear from you again. You've given some good advice that reminds me of the apostle Paul's words to the Philippian believers:

"Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for what he has done. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6-7 New Living Translation).

When our prayers aren't answered the way we'd like, we sometimes realize that God had better plans for us than we had for ourselves. He makes all things work out for the good of those who love him.

Q: There have been 3 letters printed opposing J.M.'s original letter. Rest assured, there will be more to come. So, as of right now, it's a 3:1 fight. Is The Comical like FOX News - "fair and balanced"?

Q: If people disagree with J.M.'s original letter, there should be volumes of people sending in letters proving their point that prayer works....where is one of those letters?

Q: If God can not answer our prayers "on our time or terms" then what the hell are you praying for?

Q: Why do the religious - when they can't fight a letter with facts - always resort to the "trifecta of excuses"? You know:
1.) its "out of context".....
2.) you're "misunderstanding something".....
3.) or the "no accountablity, religion gets the free pass because it is what it is and that's just the way it is".....

Q: How long before Ed Payne M.D. gets a letter printed on the letter / topic / discussion?

Q: How long will this comment post stay up before it mysteriously disappears like my last four or five posts have?

You are viewing everything from your perspective as to what is fair and good in your own eyes. You must start from the fact that God said "all are sinners and our sin separates us from Him. We are all born sinners and are on our way to hell, however because of what Christ has done we "can" be reconciled to God. The best person you know may be moral, loving, caring, giving, good in every area of life but in God's eyes is a lost sinner. He sees all of the lost people the same way. Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

When one has "the mind of Christ" we see everything as He sees it not as fallen man sees it. In your example of a sick or dying child we must look at this as Christ sees it with eternity in mind. If you truly believe God's word and believe there is a heaven and heaven is a perfect place then you would long for to be there. 2 Corinthians 4: 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

I think what these people are saying is if you're seriously injured in a car accident you should pray AND go to the hospital---just to hedge your bet. Now if a person was seriously injured and did not go to the hospital--THAT would be a non-hypocritical believer.

Still using the book to explain the same book. Assassinating the character of the person stating his belief is not the best debating technique. If I were god and a seriously injured person was on the brink of dying and if this person followed my teachings his entire life and asked me for healing by prayer and his faith was so great he didn't even go to the hospital--now I the great lord god would say--you have more faith than 99.99999% of my children, and I god am infinitely more powerful than anyone residing at that hospital--you are healed.

..And what makes you think HE has not done that, and done it may times? > fedex---we live in a very toxic world, and your question one day will be answered for you ...one the best scriptures I pass on to people asking why(bad or hard times), 1Corinthians 10:13(the word temptation in that verse means a test or trial happening to you).

If the person you loved more than anyone else in the whole wide world, was seriously injured in an accident and you only had 2 choices in your course of action. Just answer (a) or (b), you can't choose both:
(a) pray for him and ask everyone you know to pray for him to an omnipotent god who can accomplish anything OR
(b) take him to a hospital full of doctors that have had 20+ years of medical training
I'm just looking for an a or b. any explanation to go with your answer will only weaken your position. I'll get the ball rolling and say (b)

If someone makes what I view as a ignorant statement and I have scripture that explains why those ignorant staments are made, then by all means, it makes it perfectly clear to me. Nothing personal you see.

As for your "accident" senario......couldn't you come up with something a little more believable. You'll never have an "a" "b" senario....not unless we outlaw prayer (which looks like that is what some are suggesting).

Not at all.. If you choose god AND a hospital, you're admitting that god is not all powerful. And I suppose many people would choose both and that's ok as long as they are clear in their minds that deep down they don't truly believe in an all powerful god or any such superstitions.

Are you saying that God hasn't provided doctors and nurses for us to use. I suppose you think doctors and nurses are man made? God didn't have anything to do with it.

When we pray for God's help, we also ask for Him to direct the hands of the doctors and give them wisdom on how best to help our love one. You see, the doctor isn't the one who heals our love one.....God still does the healing, He just gives the doctor the knowledge on how to treat us. So whether it's on the side of the road where we are praying for healing or whether it's in a waiting room at a hospital.....God is in control of the healing process.....not the doctors. They're just the vessel He choose to do His miracles.

GAD, your explanation doesn't make any sense......you pray to God Almighty for healing.....He provides an answer by supplying a very knowledgable physician to treat your love one back to health.....then you refuse to take him/her to the hospital so that treatment can be given and if you love one dies, then your conclusion is that God doesn't really exist....

It's interesting, the techniques you use to wrap your head around something for which there is no proof. If I was doctor I would SUE GOD! A doctor works his tail off spending:
4 years undergrad
4 years medical school
4 years internship/residency
Untold years training and practicing his speciality

Then, he uses these skills that HE earned to save someone's life and the FIRST THING THAT THIS CLOWN'S FAMILY DOES IS THANK GOD!
when god had nothing, zip, nada to do with it. The doctor sat in those classrooms and did all that training, god did not. I wish there might be a physician out there who feels this way, maybe he or she could comment.
One more thing, ICL:
This question may be more reasonable than the last one. There are 3 patients, each needing the same life saving surgery. Who stands the best chance?
A. The one who goes to the hospital only
B. the one who goes to the hospital and prays
C. The one who goes to the hospital, prays and asks his family and everyone he knows at church and on Facebook to pray also

Well GAD aren't you glad you didn't go into the medical field (or did you and that's why you are so bent out of shape)....worried someone else besides yourself will get the credit. Mighty selfish of you there.....

You asked:
This question may be more reasonable than the last one. There are 3 patients, each needing the same life saving surgery. Who stands the best chance?
A. The one who goes to the hospital only
B. the one who goes to the hospital and prays
C. The one who goes to the hospital, prays and asks his family and everyone he knows at church and on Facebook to pray also

Well, I'd say they all stand the same chance since God is the giver and taker of life.

GAD, how did you come to the conclusion that if they all stand the same chance since God is the giver and taker of life that prayer does no good. You must not know the meaning of prayer and why we prayer.

Life and death does not depend on whether we pray or not. Prayer is communication between out God and ourselves, an act of submission to His will and for us to make request (which He already knows), but He loves for us to come to Him, to lean on Him. Prayer isn't some mechanism to get what we want. If everyone died because no one prayed, would you pray if your love one was ill? And if so, wouldn't that make you a hypocrite?

This has become tiresome because I know no matter how much we give you answers to your questions, you still won't believe in God, you still won't believe in prayer, and you still will be arrogant where Christian belief is concerned so I bid you good evening.